Follow-up system



Jan. 26, 1943. J. M. BOYLE FOLLOW-UP SYSTEM Original Filed Dec. 16, 1939James M Boyle INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 26, 1943 FOLLOW-UP SYSTEMJames M. Boyle, Darien, Conn.

Original application December 16, 1939, Serial No.

Divided and this application February 20, 1942, Serial No. 431,647

1 Claim.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention herein describedmay be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the UnitedStates for governmental purposes without the payment to me of anyroyalty thereon in accordance with the provisions of the act of April30, 1928 (ch. 460, 45 Stat. L. 467).

This invention relates to electrical follow-up mechanisms especially ofthat type suitable for use in an arrangement wherein an ampere hour orkilowatt hour meter is located at a point remote to additional meterdials, whereby the remote meter dials are caused to move by theintervention of electrical conductors. However, the invention is not tobe understood as being limited to use in such a system.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 309,589,filed December 16, 1939 (Patent No. 2,273,829, February 24, 1942).

The principal object of this invention is to provide a follow-upmechanism for moving meter dials or other indicating mechanism locatedat a point remote from a primary control system. Another object of thisinvention is to provide a. signal device for indicating when a follow-upmechanism is operating.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear from thespecification hereinafter following when read in connection with theaccompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic representationof the invention showing certain parts partially in section; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the circuit opening and closing arrangementassociated with the cycling motor shown in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 1 and 2, a shaft I is the controlling shaft which when turnedany number of revolutions produces an equivalent movement of acontrolled mechanism. The shaft I through a worm gear arrangement turnsthe insulated gear wheel 2 upon which is mounted a segmental contactingface 3. By the proper selection of the gearing, the gear wheel 2 can bearranged to rotate once for every increment of motion that it is desiredto impart to the controlled mechanism. Where the present mechanism isused for driving a remotely situated electric meter, for instance, thegear 2 can be arranged to rotate once for every 50 or 103 watt hour ofenergy passing through the meter, or once for a predetermined number ofampere hours of current, so that at each half revolution the contactingface Ewill pass under and metallically connect the limb. contacts 4 and5 and later-the brush contacts 6 and l. The apparatus just described andthe signal lamp 8 are located at the controlling station. In an electricmetering system this would be in the outside meter box mounted on apower pole or elsewhere, while the controlled station is at a dili'erentlocation. Brush contacts 5 and I are connected together and to a sourceof electric potential at 9. Contact 6 is connected via conductor ID toone terminal of the signal light 8. The other terminal of the signallight 8 is connected to the source of potential at 9. Contact 4 isconnected by way of auxiliary conductor II to the brush I2 at thecontrolled station. The contact 6 is connected by conductor I3 to thebrush It at the controlled station. The brushes I2 and I4 are mounted onopposite sides of the shaft I5 30 as to contact the partially completecircular slip rings I6 and I1, respectively,- insulatingly carried onthe disc I8 mounted on shaft I5 of electric cycling motor 22. Alsoinsulatingly carried on the disc I8 is a complete circular slip ring I9which has a brush 20 bearing thereagainst. The brush 20 is connected byway of conductor 2I to one terminal of the motor 22. The other terminalof the motor 22 is connected to ground at 23. The slip ring I9 isconnected via conductor 23 to the slip ring I6 and also via conductor 22to the slip ring II.

The friction wheel 25 engages the surface of disc I8 and also thesurface of disc 25 which is drivingly connected with the countingmechanism 21'. The counting mechanism 21 and disc 26 are mounted formovement axially of the shaft carrying friction wheel 25, so that thecounter 21 may be so adjusted in position that any increment of motionof shaft I will cause a proportionate desired increment of motion of thecounter. The operation of the system is as follows: the shaft I uponrotating, drives gear 2 to eflect the alternate closing of circuitsbetween contacts 4 and 5, and then contacts 6 and I by means of thesegmental contacting face 3 mounted on gear 2. Each time a circuit isclosed between contacts 4 and 5 at the controlling station a circuit isclosed for the motor 22 located at a remote point to cause this motor todrive the disc I8 one-half of a revolution by the following circuit:source of potential 9, contact 5, segment 3, contact l, conductor it,brush I2, incomplete slip ring l6, conductor 23, slip ring I 8, brush20, conductor 2i to the motor 22 and from thence to ground. Uponcompletion of the abovetraced circuit, the motor 22 revolves turningdisc I8 one-half revolution, or until the incomplete slip ring i6 leavesthe brush I2 opening the circuit of motor 22. As the shaft I turnsfurther a circuit is ultimately made between contacts 0 and 1 by way ofthe segment 3, whereupon the.

motor 22 once more turns the disc l8 one-half revolution via thefollowing circuit: source of potential 9, contact 1, segment 3, contact6, conductor l3, brush l4, incomplete slip ring i1, conductor 24, slipring I9, brush 20, conductor 2|, motor 22 and thence to ground,whereupon the motor 22 revolves, driving the disc ll for a halfrevolution, or until the circuit is opened at brush l4 when the cut-outor incomplete portion of slip ring 11 comes opposite thereto. It is thusevident that each time the gear 2 driven by shaft l makes a halfrevolution the disc I! likewise makes a half revolution. The disc l8when turning, drives the meter dials or counting mechanism 21 throughthe friction disc by means of the friction wheel 25 and disc 26, causingthe counter or meter 21 to be driven an amount proportional to themovement of shaft l or shaft IS.

The turning of the shaft i and disc 2 causes the lamp 8 to be lightedeach time the segment 3 bridges contacts 6 and T to indicate that theshaft I is turning. In a remote meter controlled arrangement such asthat disclosed in my application Serial No. 309,589, filed December 16,1939, this lamp is preferably placed in such a position that lineattendants can, by the flashing thereof, check the operation of themeter.

In the description the signalling motor 22 has been referred to as anelectric motor. This motor may be of such a type as to be driven byalternating current or direct current. For reasons of economy in a metersystem the-motor 22 i preferably made as a very small motor with areduction gear connection between the motor shaft proper and the shaftl5. However, this is not a necessary requirement in all cases.

It will be obvious that this invention is not limited to the meansshown, and that equivalent means may be employed without departing fromthe spirit of the invention I claim:

Afollow-up mechanism for moving a controlled shaft in response tomovement by a controlling shaft comprising at least two pairs ofcontacts with means for cyclically closing said contacts responsive torotatlonof said controlling shaft, a plurality of interconnected sliprings at least two of which are discontinuous, carried by saidcontrolled shaft, a brush adapted to contact with each of said sliprings, means for electrically connecting each of the brushes associatedwith said discontinuous slip rings with respective contacts of saidpairs of contacts, means electrically connecting the remaining contactsof said pairs of contacts to a source of potential, t ueans connectingthe brush associated with said continuous slip ring with a motor fordriving as controlled shaft, whereby said motor acts to move saidcontrolled shaft responsive to the closure of said contacts by movementof said controlling shaft.

JAMES M. BOYLE.

